As we go through the journey of life in this dark and confused world, it is eminent that we know how to pray for direction from God. So that we can gain wisdom to pull through life’s challenges.
A believer’s life is all about total dependence on God because our personal efforts at their best are inadequate. Therefore, we need to know how to pray for divine direction because God’s guidance is what we will always need for us to find fulfilment.
So how to pray for direction from God is to go to God with a humble heart filled with gratitude, put our mind focused on Him and make our petition known to Him, with the view of submitting to His will.
Without coming to God with a humble heart to submit to His will, there is no way we can get answers to our requests. God is always willing to do what we ask of Him if only we are willing to do it His way.
And doing it His way is safe for us because Jeremiah 29: 11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
What makes us believers is our total dependence on God in every step we take in life. Therefore, when we are confused, we know how to pray for clarity and direction, to draw wisdom to navigate in this dark and confused world.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 119: 105 (NIV),” Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Implies that God’s word is what we need for direction as we go through life, so we need to always go to God to seek guidance.
So to help you understand what it means to pray for direction from God, let us briefly look into what is prayer.
What Is Prayer?
You have been hearing the word prayer, and you want to know what it really means, so inside your heart, you have been asking yourself what is prayer; just read on.
Prayer is the means by which we communicate with God. It is the time that we go into the throne room of God to have a conversation with Him.
In the place of prayer, we have the privilege to stand before the Supreme, Sovereign, Ruler of the Universe, who is the Creator of everything in existence. To dialogue, commune, and present our petition to Him, and then submit to His will.
However, we are to present our case to God, and it is at His own will that He chooses to do what He wants to do for us. Hence, it must always go according to how He wills it. Therefore, we must always submit to His will and purpose.
This means we do not make God do something for us; rather, we submit to His will. What we want or desire does not matter; what really matter, what matters is what God wants.
Moreover, it is when we are in tune with His will that our prayers are answered the way we want them. Therefore, prayer is all about God’s will, and we must tune into it when praying.
1. Have A Prayer Time
One of the first things to do that will help you how to pray for direction is to have a special prayer time set for this purpose.
It is believed that as a believer in Christ, you already have a special prayer time. A time that you study the word of God and commune with Him.
But the special prayer time I am talking about here is the one that is solely dedicated to this purpose. A time that you set apart in your day to pray to God, seeking direction.
At this special time, every prayer request you put out, everything you pray about, your focus and meditation, is directed at praying and asking God for direction and guidance.
2. Go Into A Closet
Some believers have a room, or a closet, something like a war room, where they go to meet with God in prayers to settle issues disturbing their lives. (for further studies on the war room, click on this link to read the topic of how to create a war room).
When you go into your closet to pray, at this point of seclusion and solitude, when you are away from the world and away from distractions. There is this sense of calmness and focus you have.
Your mind, spirit, soul and body are deeply focused, and you freely connect with God. Hence going into your closet can help you how to pray for direction.
This is why the Bible says when we pray, we would enter into our closet and pray to our Heavenly Father, and He will hear and answer us (Matthew 6: 6).
3. Focus Your Mind And Thoughts
When it comes to prayer, we should know that one of the things that helps us to easily connect with God is focus. Hence, one of the ways how to pray for direction is to focus your mind and thoughts on what you want.
This is why you need to first have a special quiet time and, secondly, go into a closet. Because solitude and seclusion help one to stay focused.
Once your mind and thought are focused, it helps your body, soul, and spirit to be well connected and attentive to hear any message from God.
And since you are praying for direction, you really need to be focused and attentive so that you can get answers and understand what God wants you to do.
4. You Must Spend Time Digging Deep Into God’s Word
Two things are very essential in the Christian life, studying the word of God and prayer. They both go together, and none can be taken away from the other.
These are two inseparable practices of a Christian, and they work side by side. The Psalmist says in Psalm 119: 105 (NIV) ”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”
Therefore, if you want to know how to pray for direction, you must spend time digging deep into God’s word. The word of God gives answers to every question a believer needs. The Psalmist says it is a lamp unto our feet and a light upon our path (Psalm 119: 105).
Studying it will help you to understand what God wants you to do at every given time. So when you pray, and you have the intuition to make any move, with the help of the word of God, it will be properly understood and executed.
5. Let Your Prayer Be In Faith
The only way we can approach God is through faith. The Bible says anyone who comes to God must come believing that He exists and must believe that He also rewards those who come to Him (Hebrew 11: 6).
It is impossible to approach God if you do not have faith in Him. Actually, for the mere fact that you want to know how to pray for direction from God, it simply means you believe in Him.
But sometimes, even though we believe in God, we do not believe in God for everything. We only have faith in God for some things, or to some extent in our lives, and not everything.
However, when you come to God to pray for direction, you must put all your trust in Him, believing that He is capable of giving you direction no matter how confusing the situation may be.
6. Approach God With A Humble Heart
To be humble means to see yourself as lower than others, not because they are bigger or better than you, but because it shows an act of selflessness in that you try to put others before yourself.
Hence, you don’t place special preference on yourself cause you do not see yourself as being more worthy than others.
So to approach God with a humble heart means to come to God with a mindset of seeing yourself as lower than others because you are not placing special preference on yourself as being better than others.
Nothing pleases God more than a bumble heart. The Bible says He gives more grace to the humble and resists the proud (James 4: 6; 1 Peter 5: 5).
In Psalm 25: 9 talks about how God gives grace and guidance to the humble person. This is because a humble heart is always ready to learn, is always ready to put his wisdom aside and take God’s direction.
Therefore, when you approach God with a humble heart, He pays attention to you because He knows you are not counting yourself as being worthy, but you are depending on His grace. Hence one of the ways how to pray for direction.
7. Begin Your Prayer With Gratitude
You cannot come to an earthly king without first raining praises on him and showing gratitude to him for giving you an audience.
Let alone when you approach the King of kings, the one who made and created all things out of nothing by Himself. The One who keeps you gives you life, and provides for you.
So when you come to God, do not rush, to begin with your request; let it come later. The Psalmist said in Psalm 100: 4 (NIV), “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
When you come to God, you need to begin by showing gratitude to Him, praising His name, and adoring Him for what He has done for you.
Then, you humbly make your request known to Him. Telling Him how you are seeking His direction and guidance.
So when you begin your prayer with gratitude, it helps you to approach God as the King that He is, and as well on how to pray for direction from Him.
8. Be Ready To Receive Answers To Your Prayers
One thing I have come to realize is this God always hears and answers every one of our prayers. However, most time, we do not hear or receive it because it is not what we are expecting to get.
Because we approach God in prayer with something else in mind, we are not ready to receive what He gives us as answers to our prayer requests; we want it to be our own way.
So being ready to receive answers to your prayers is to keep an open mind, knowing that you cannot completely define how God works, His ways are not our ways, and He does whatever pleases Him (Isaiah 55: 8).
So the answers can come in any way, though not what you plan or intend it to be; you receive it because it is what God says. This is one of the ways how to pray for direction from God.
9. Be Ready To Submit To God’s Will
As we have defined prayer to mean going into the throne room of God to have a conversation with Him and to make your petition known to Him and submit to His will.
This implies that you cannot come to God in prayer and expect Him to do your bidding; you should not expect God to answer you the way you want it.
Rather you should be prepared to completely submit your plans and will to God’s will so that He will give you direction.
God will not give us what we want or pray for, He always gives us His will, and the book of Jeremiah 29: 11 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Therefore, when it seems as if we prayed for a thing and He gives it to us at once, it is because we have to tune into His will and submit to it.
He is the one in charge, we are not to force our will on Him, and He is not the one to submit to us. Rather we are the ones to submit to His will when we approach Him. Therefore, we should be ready to submit to God’s will because it will help us how to pray for direction.
How Do I Let God Direct My Path?
Maybe you are in a state of dilemma, and you want God’s direction. Hence you are asking, how do I let God direct my path?
How to let God direct your path is to follow what Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 (NIV) says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
This means we should submit everything completely to God, hold unto Him with our driving force, and forget whatever we think we know. Seek His face and get acquainted with His will, and submit to Him, and He will direct you.
This is letting go of who you are, what you want, and what you think you know and leaning completely in God for guidance and direction. This is how to pray for direction and let God direct your path.
Short Prayer For Protection And Guidance
Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you with a heart of thanksgiving for how far you have been leading me and seeing me through diverse challenges, may your name be highly praised.
Right now, I come to you seeking for guidance and protection, and I submit my will and thought to you. I pray thee,, oh Heavenly Father, with your gracious presence, will guide and protect me and see me through as I move.
Help me to focus my heart on you as I go forward, and let me lose focus on myself and other things so that I will completely be under your guidance and protection, in Jesus’ name, amen!
Short Prayer For Guidance And Wisdom
Abba Father, thank you for being faithful to me anytime I come to you, seeking guidance and wisdom.
You always keep to your word in the book of James 1: 5 that says anyone that lacks wisdom should ask you.
So heavenly Father, now I come to you once again, seeking your guidance and wisdom on how to go about that which you have entrusted to me to do.
I pray that I never lack wisdom when I need it; I submit to you; I plead that you always help me and guide my path, guide my understanding, and let me wisely execute this tax given to me in the name of Jesus; amen!
Prayer For Direction And Clarity
Abba Father, thank you for thus far you have led and brought me here. Thank you because you have always given clarity and direction when I am confused.
Therefore, now I come to you again, pleading that you give me direction and clarity on how to go about this confused state that I am in right now.
I submit my whole self to You; take charge of my thoughts, and help me to find clarity and direct my understanding, as I depend on You, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
How To Pray For Direction Bible Verse
1. Psalm 25: 4 – 5 (NIV) “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.”
2. James 1: 5 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
3. Psalm 37: 23 – 24 (NIV) If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumbles, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
4. Psalm 16: 7 – 8 (NIV) “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
5. Isaiah 51: 11 (NIV) The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
6. Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 (NIV) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
7. Ps 31: 3 – 4 (NIV) Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name, lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
8. Psalm 32: 8 – 9 (NIV) I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle, or they will not come to you.”
9. John 16: 13 (NIV) “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
10. Jeremiah 33: 3 (NIV) Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Conclusion
Prayer is the only means we can commune with God, and it is one of the best ways to receive direction from God.
In the world where we are today, with all the atrocities going on, God is the only hope we have.
Therefore we should know how to pray for direction from Him and be ready to receive whatever answers He will give to us.
One thing I know for sure is that He is always ready to hear and answer us as long as we come to Him in the right manner and agree to His terms.
Save this for later!
